The Washington critic., 1887-11-09
WASHINGTON, NOV. o, 1887.
THE RESULT IN NEW YORK.

mas achieved substantial victory.
Under the circumstances It was a pro.
nounced success, over which our Dem.
ocratlc friends have just cause for
jubllation. II puts the State in line with
the Administration at Washington, aud
extends to President Cleveland the
compliments OF the seasop, with assur.
ances of further and more distinguished
consideration for 1888
But the election 10 New York points
other morals than these. 1t is not only
an Endorsement of the parry In power,
which, considering the odds and The
omens against II, 4. unexpectedly EN-.
phatlc. but it demonstrates two ry
important political facts az they have
seldom If ever been So stliliingly dem.
onstraied before,
One of these, instanced In the uomi.
nation of Colonel Fred Grant as the
head of the Republican State ticket, is
that In this country the pDwer of
mere name, however illustrIous 1t may
be in The history Of the times. is of no
material avail TO the Interests Of candl-
shadow of greatness furnishes no capi.
tai worth the having where the sub
stance is lacking.
Colonel Grant is worthy gentleman
and doubtless fully competent to the
discharge of the duties of Secretary of
State, but the Idea once obtaining In
the public mind that he was brought
out simply because Of tho inherited
lustre Of his name, without any special
inheritance Of ability to go with 1t, his
canvass was weak from the start and
his utterances only served to weaken 1t
the more.
Had he been plain Frederick Smith.
instead of Colonel Frederick Dent
Grant, his vote in all probability would
have been quite as large as 1t is.
1t should be borne In mind, more.
over, that there was no eagerness on
the part of the Stalwart Republicans in
this contest to support Colonel Grant.
They have not forgotten that the very
men who during the Greeley era in our
national politics took special pains to
IL NV W DClll-
tie and villify, the illustrious services
of the dead General, were those who
In this year Of grace made swift haste to
bring out the son of his father in the
hope OF riding into power on the
strength Of a name they had once
sought to dishoror.
Another point instanced in the fierce
and In some respects disgraceful con-
tention over the District A,torneyship
in the city of New York, Is that the
press, when Its energies are pFostituted
and misdirected, not only parts with
Its dignity and credibiIity, but like the
shorn Sampson, is robbed of its power.
The warfare that was made upon
Colonel Fellows was lbelnus, malevo.
lent and wholly uniustiiiable. He had
made an honorable public record aud
was fully entitled to the confilenc.
both Of his party and the people. The
factious nomination of Nicoll as an op.
posing Democratic candidate, and his
Endorsement by the Republicans, was
only part OF q scheme TO confuse and
demorallze the compactness of the
Democratic organization for ulterior,
personal and doubtless mercenary pur.
poses. But It was the savage and
atrocious defamation of Colonel Eel.
lows private character through the
newspapers arrayed In Nicoll's interest
that constituted the gross and un
psrdonable offense In the case.
The retribution that has been admin.
istered to his assailants through the
ballot box should be subject of con
graduation to oil good citizens.
1t Is further to be noticed, and is also
subject for universal eongratulation,
that the United Labor vote in New
York has fallen far below the pre-
dlctlons and sauguine hopes Of Its
leaders. Not that any III Is to be wished
to the cause Of the workingmen, so fal
as 1t rests upon legitimate basis, but
their fatal error consisted in thell
alliance with Henry George. Mr.
George is man of ability, and advo'
Gates some reforms that are worthy tc
be encouraged, but his theories of land
taxation are false In themselves, and
would prove pestifeIous In practice.
Either he should discard these vaga
lies, or his leadership should be dis
csrded. The latter will probabl,
follow In the wake Of yesterday
events.
In the prohibition vote there appear
TO be q steady increase, The strength
OF this movement remains unimpaired
Its progress may be slow, but 1t will
continue to be an important politica
factor, disturbing to the calculations o
the politicians and only ocasing its &c
tivity when It shall have accomplished
through legislation, the objects 70
which 1t was brought into being.
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND has demon
strated his thorough practical sympath
with the unterrifled Democracy Of til
country In spite Of the alleged Civil
"Surface" Reform rules. His coutribu
tions to the party fund from his salar
as President and his letter dated at tn
Executive Office of the Nation, urgin
the election Of the New York Demo
cratic ticket, knocks all sentiment out I
the Mugwumps and causes Eugen
Higgins to proclaim In loud and joyft
tones the return of the partisan prodigt
son to the household of the faithful
We extend our sympathy to "Blshop
Oberly.
Mr.. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN comes
this country upon a highly importai
mission and as the duly accredited rel